ASO: definition and impact on the SEO world

Through our SEO Agency Optimize 360

App Store Optimization (ASO) is an essential marketing technique for improving the visibility of mobile applications.

It aims to make an application easier to find for app store users (such as Google Play Store and Apple App Store) by optimising certain key criteria.

Let's take a look at how ASO works and the different techniques that can be used to improve the ranking of your application.

What is the ASO?

Like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites, ASO is the process of optimizing mobile applications so that they rank higher in search results on app stores.

In other words, the main objective of the ASO is to improve the visibility of mobile applications and increase the number of downloads.

Like SEO, there are "on-page" and "off-page" techniques in ASO, which correspond respectively to the internal and external elements that can be improved to optimise your application.

Key success factors in ASO

On-page factors

• • The title: This is one of the most important elements in ASO. It must be concise, explicit and include the keyword title. A well-optimised title will greatly contribute to the success of the application.
  • Description: The description informs users about the features and benefits of the application. It should be written in a clear and well-structured way, incorporating keywords relevant to the application.
  • Keywords: As with SEO, keyword selection is crucial to good SEO. You need to choose the most relevant keywords, taking into account their level of competition and potential traffic.
  • The : An application's icon must be attractive and recognisable to attract users' attention. A successful icon can significantly increase the number of downloads.
  • Screenshots : Screenshots give users an idea of the application's look and feel. Quality screenshots will help convince visitors to the app store to download your application.

Off-page factors

• • Number of downloads : The more an application is downloaded, the more popular it is perceived to be by the app store algorithms. The number of downloads therefore plays an important role in an application's ranking.
  • Reviews and ratings : The reviews and ratings given to an application strongly influence its position in the app store. An application with a high rating and many positive reviews will tend to be ranked higher.
  • The commitment rate : The engagement rate represents the frequency with which users open and use an application. The higher the engagement rate, the more interesting and useful the application will be perceived to be by the app store algorithms.
  • Retention: Retention is a measure of the number of users who continue to use an application after a certain period of time (for example, 7 days or 30 days). Good retention means that the application has succeeded in retaining its users over the long term.

The different stages in optimising your ASO

To effectively improve your ranking in the app stores, here are the main steps to follow:

1. Perform a keyword search relevant to your application. This search must take into account the popularity of the terms, their level of competition and their relevance to the application.
2. Write an optimised title and description, integrating the selected keywords and ensuring that they are consistent with the application's objective and functionalities.
3. Create an attractive design for the application's icon and screenshots, focusing on aesthetics and legibility.
4. Encourage quality reviews and ratings by encouraging satisfied users to leave a comment on the app store.
5. Work on improving engagement and retention rates, by offering an interesting, useful and easy-to-use application.

The importance of keeping track of your ASO's results

As with SEO, it is essential to monitor the performance of your ASO in order to measure the effectiveness of the optimisations you have implemented and adjust your strategy if necessary. Key indicators to monitor include :

• Number of downloads per day or week
• The application's ranking in the app store search results
• Reviews and ratings of the application
• User engagement and retention rates

In short, ASO is an essential practice for success in the world of mobile applications. By optimising the internal and external factors mentioned above, it is possible to significantly improve the visibility of your application and therefore increase the number of downloads.